Kate Beckett's Mission
by Chris.JC
Summary: Kate Beckett decides she wants a full relationship with Rick Castle


**Kate Beckett's Mission**

 **A/U. This is a one shot set in the week of The Third Man (S2E14) Beckett decides she wants a relationship with Castle.**

Monday morning and another working week was about to begin. Detective Kate Beckett opened one eye and peered at her cell phone, she saw that, as did many people who relied on an alarm, she had woken up about five minutes before it was due to go off.

She rolled onto her back and looked at the ceiling, her thoughts went back to the decision she had made just before she dropped off to sleep last night. this was, for her, a very big and important one, as she had decided that she was going to confront Richard Castle this week and fully express her feelings for him, this might not have seemed a very important decision to most people as she had, on the face of it known the writer since the Tidsdale murder case last year. However, for Beckett that wasn't really the starting point as she had been in love with him since she was 17, at the time she had not believed in love at first sight, until it happened to her. This was when her mother Joanne, for who Castle was her favourite author, had dragged her along to one of his book signings. Kate had had to suffer the indignity of standing in line for over 3 hours to keep her mother company as the line slowly shuffled forward, By the time they eventually reached the front of the queue Kate was just about ready to scream and to cut and run.

Castle greeted them with one of his beaming smiles and a twinkle in his eye, when he asked for her mother's name, she introduced herself and said "This is my daughter Katie."

Kate said "The name is Kate not Katie." At this point she took a proper look at Castle and instantly fell in love with his blue eyes and crooked smile.

Castle took her mothers book and signed it. He then reached out to Kate for her book but she hadn't got one as she was only there to keep her mother company. When she said that she didn't have a book to be signed, Castle took one off the pile on his table wrote a dedication in it, closing it and handed it to Kate saying "Your beauty has brightened up my day and please accept this book with my complements."

Kate thanked him and tucked the book under her arm, she didn't open it to see what he had written until she reached home, when she did so she felt herself blushing from her neck to the roots of her hair, he had written 'To Kate. The girl with the most beautiful eyes and smile that I have ever seen. I hope all your dreams come true. Rick Castle'.

She didn't read the book straight away but put it on her bookshelf to do so later.

When she eventually, after her mother's murder, did read the book it was in one sitting Rick Castle instantly became her favourite author, even ahead of the Russian authors she so loved, as a result she sought out and went on to read all his other books that her mother had collected over the years, these all helped her in coping with her mothers death.

IAt the time of her mothers murder Kate was attending Stanford University in California as a Pre Law student and was in the top five students in her class. She had intended to stay in California for the holiday, but after having had second thoughts she had returned home for the Christmas/New Year break. Her Mom, Dad and herself had arranged to meet up on the Saturday for a celebratory meal, before she was due to fly back to Stanford, over the weekend to resume her studies, she and her Dad were to go directly to the restaurant and Joanne was to meet them there. After waiting half an hour past the agree time they decided to eat assuming that her mom had got held up. When they finished their meal and returned home, about two hours later, they were met by a Detective Raglan at their door. He told them that Joanne had been found in an alley stabbed to death.

After only a couple of weeks Raglan called back at their home and said that they had had to put her death down to random gang violence and that due to pressure of work it was being shelved.

The following Monday Kate had once again been booked to fly back to California, after the delay caused by her mother death, but when she got to the airport she was unable to bring herself to board the plane.

After some deep thoughts she decided to switch her studies to NYU to do Legal studies.

When she graduated she had made up her mind that rather than continue on to become a lawyer she would go into Law Enforcement with a view to trying to get the closure for other victim of crime which she hadn't yet been able to obtain.

When she applied to the Police Academy to become a cadet, she was lucky that there was a course due to start and there was just one place left, which because of her grades at Stanford and NYU, she managed to secure.

On her first day at the Academy she met Jo Martinez and they became the best of friends and rivals for the top spot in the class, when they graduated Kate was top of the class with Jo only 3 marks behind in second place. This was the first time in the New York Police Academy history the top two places had been filled by female students

Kate threw herself into being a Police officer with a view to making Detective as quickly as possible she soon became one of the best young officers on the NYPD force.

At the end of her shift each night for the first two years of being on the force she would sneak in to the records room and study everything she could lay her hands on about her mother's case. Eventually her training officer Mike Royce told her that she had to stop her obsession as it was beginning to affect her health and she agreed to see a Therapist who made her realise that Mike Royce was correct and that she needed to let go and so she gave up and instead concentrated on becoming a detective, When she succeeded she was the youngest female officer ever to make detective in the NYPD.

A couple of months after starting as detective she saw that Richard Castle was doing a book signing in a near by book store, she persuaded her partner and boyfriend Will Sorenson to go and queue with her. When she reached the table where Castle was sitting she asked him to sign her book to 'Kate', while she looked once again at his blue eyes and realised that she was still more than a bit in love with him after all that time. Once again she didn't look at the dedication he had written until she returned home. She read what he written, with tears in her eyes, 'To Kate. The girl with the sunny smile and the saddest eyes I have ever seen, I hope life quickly improves for you. Rick Castle.'

At this point her alarm went off and she jumped out of bed and headed for the shower, she then quickly dressed for work. She went into her kitchen to make what would be the first of her many coffees of the day along with toast spread with Boysenberry jam. As was her habit she read the New York Ledger whilst she ate her breakfast and drunk her coffee. She noticed that the annual lists of the Top Ten of New York's most eligible Bachelors and Bachelorettes was on the front page and who should be listed at number eight in the Bachelors section but one Rick Castle, she read what had been written and had a smirk on her lips when she read that the reporter had said that 'Castle might not be eligible for next years list because he, it is rumoured, is dating his NYPD detective muse.' (Kate thought to herself _"No he isn't, but I wish he was"_ ). This instantly brought a big smile to her face as she thought of the fun she could have at his expense that morning by pretending not to know about the lists.

When she entered the bullpen a smile came to her face as her favourite writer had brought her morning coffee fix of choice, a Grande Skimmed Latte with two pumps of sugar free Vanilla along with a Bears Claw, Heaven!, She looked around the bullpen to see where he was and spotted him apparently trying to snatch the Ledger off Ryan, this would be strange behaviour she thought had she not known about the Top Ten lists.

She quickly forgot about it as her eyes settled on the Murder Board, regarding the body found in the apartment of a family who had just returned from holiday, there was nothing new there since she had looked at it the previous evening, Just then she felt Castle sit down beside and smelt the distinctive cologne he wore, He had three copies of the Ledger under his arm and was trying to act all innocent, So she thought I will start teasing him by trying to get one of the papers off him.

He asked "Why do you want it?"

Beckett replied "I want to look at the result of last night's big game."

He said "We won "

She asked "Which team are you talking about?"

He replied "The NY Yankees of course" keeping his fingers crossed that this was the team she was talking about.

At that point Espisito came up to them and said "We have found a victim of what appeared to be a similar home invasion."

Kate got the address and said "Come on Castle, time to go on a home visit to talk to the victim."

Castle quickly disposed of the three papers he had acquired and hurried after her.

They interviewed the victim and were just about to leave when she turned to Castle and said "You are much better looking in the flesh than in your picture in the paper."

Kate with a smirk on her face glanced at Castle and said all innocently "What was the picture in the paper for,and in which paper?"

She replied "The Ledgers Top Ten eligible bachelors," and went on to say "Are you the detective girlfriend? He is such a good catch"

Kate turned back to Rick with a pretend scowl on her face and told him to get the paper and show her the article.

Rick thought to himself " _I am so busted"_

When they got back to the station she marched him into the break room and stated to berate him about the article, what Castle didn't realise was that it was in fact all an act she was putting on. (as she was thinking to herself _"Hopefully this will give him a spur to move this thing we have between us on and get us a lot closer together. If not I will definitely be doing something about it myself by the end of this week.)._

Meanwhile Castle was planning on how he could get out of the hole he thought he had got himself into, when he had a sudden flash of inspiration as to how the intruder had found out which houses would be empty for a couple of weeks, and he dug out his cell phone and dialled the Ledgers Subscription Department whilst explaining his thoughts to Beckett, when he tried to get the information the voice at the other end of the phone asked who he was. He gave the phone to Beckett saying "I sometimes forget I'm not a cop". To which she replied "I don't." and proceeded to get the required information. This confirmed Castle's suspicions that the subscription office staff along with the delivery personnel would know of absences.

CSU had recovered a cell phone from the apartment which had a series of photographs showing the interior of the apartment and one happened to have been taken in the bathroom, with a face reflected in the mirror. Beckett and Castle went to the Ledger to speak to the Subscription office manager to whether he knew the face and he was able to identify it,

Whilst Beckett was talking to the manager Castle spotted the reporter who had interviewed him for the article and went to ask her where she had got the information that she had written,

She said "From you Rick, you said that Detective Beckett had done this or said that and she naturally assumed you were dating one another. But if you aren't an item them bachelorette number three would like to meet you." She gave him her contact information.

When they got back to the precinct Castle phoned her and arranged a date with her on the coming Friday evening.

He told Beckett that their troubles were over as he was going out with the number three girl on the Women' s Top Ten list and would be taking her to Dragos Restaurant

Beckett's face was a picture as she looked at the photo of Bachelorette number 3 she hadn't wanted him to get a date with one of the 'Bimbo's' on the list. She needed to fight back and who was better to help her with this than Lanie. So she hurried off down to the morgue,

She explained that she needed a man for a date on Friday to try and make Castle jealous. After some thought Lanie wrote down a name for her,

Kate read it and said "Braddexter?"

Lanie said "That's Brad Dexter."

Kate said "Who is he?"

Lanie told her "He was Mr July in last years FDNY calendar. Not only that but whilst at a fire, having rescued the family, he had rushed back into the burning house to rescue the puppies in there."

Kate said "The summer months Fire Fighters are always the hottest!"

When she returned to her desk she phoned him and arranged to meet him on Friday evening

When she came off the phone, she reached for a paper and pretended to read the entertainments section. She asked Castle what he knew about Dragos Restaurant.

Castle said that it was one of the best new restaurants in New York and it was almost impossible to get a table at short notice unless you knew someone.

The rest of the week went by slowly as the progress on their murder case kept faltering

When Friday evening came around it saw Castle walking into Dragos with Bachelorette number 3 on his arm and being greeted by the Maitre 'D like an old friend and valued customer.

Just then he heard a very familiar voice saying "Castle, what are you doing here?" (Kate thought to herself _"I know exactly why he is here as I overheard him booking, and that is why I am here to try peel him away from Miss Number 3._ )

Turning round Castle said "Beckett what are you doing here? As I said at the precinct it is almost impossible to get a table unless you know someone."

As he was saying this his eye's raked down her body taking in the very sexy scarlet dress she was wearing.

Beckett replied "I do know someone, the Police Commissioner. How did you get a table?"

Castle said "Nice use of power Beckett. I got in because they know me here."

They each introduced their partner for the evening, as they finished the introductions their waiters came and showed them to their respective tables.

Both Castle and Beckett dominated the conversation at their tables by talking non stop about the case they were working on.

After about ten minutes Beckett suddenly excused herself from her date as an idea had struck her and she needed to phone Ryan. When Castle spotted her leaving the table he excused himself and went and joined her, she explained her thinking while they waited for the call too go through, Castle said he had had the very same thought.

When the call finished Beckett asked him if he was having a good time.

Castle replied "Couldn't be better. How about you?"

Beckett said she was having a lovely time and excused herself to return to her table.

Just as they were reaching the end of their main course Beckett's cell phone buzzed and she once again excused herself and went to answer, Castle joined her only moments later. Whist they were answering the call their two dates joined one another.

When Beckett and Castle finished their call they spotted that they were both without their dates and left the Restaurant, after Castle had picked up the bill for the evening. and they proceeded to the crime scene where they were able to pick up enough information to bring their case to a speedy and successful conclusion.

Beckett and Castle were leaving the precinct when he said that he was still hungry as he hadn't finished his meal at Dragos

Kate said "The portions were very small. Why don't we go to Remy's for a late supper as there is something I want to talk to you about?"

When they reached Remy's the made their way to their usual booth and placed their regular orders, whilst they were waiting for their meal they engaged in easy going small talk.

Whilst they were enjoying two coffees after they had finished their meal Castle said to Beckett "What was it you want to talk about?"

Beckett swallowed hard and wondered to herself whether she was brave enough to be able to go through with the task she had set herself, After a about thirty seconds she plucked up the courage to say what was on her mind.

She started by saying "Rick this is going to sound very bold of me but I am in love with you and have been for a very long time. I know you thought that when I turned up at your book signing, about the Tidsdale case, that, that was the first time we had met, in fact it wasn't, I first met you when I was 17 and attended one of your signing sessions with my mother Joanna Beckett, you signed her book then asked me for mine, I didn't have one so you took one off the pile on your table and signed and dedicated it to me, I had by the time I walked out of the store decided that you were going to be my one and done, Yes I had fallen in love with you, my mother told me that it was just puppy love and that I would quickly grow out of it, I did to a certain extent as time went by so that by the time I next went to a book signing I wasn't sure that I still felt anything or was even capable of feeling anything in the way of love as by then my mother had been murdered. I was at the time in a relationship with Will Sorenson and I dragged him along to the signing, however by the time I left the table after getting my book signed I was once again in love with you after our fingers had touched as you handed my book back and I had what felt like a bolt of lightening run up my arm. and down into my heart.

When you insinuated yourself into the Tidsdale case I know I treated you very unkindly, but inside I was hoping and praying that you would find away of staying on, I think that is why when you asked me out for a meal at the end of the case, and I turned you down, when you said 'It would have been great.' I whispered in your ear 'You have no idea.' I was in fact trying to encourage you to find away of coming back and shadowing me, and luckily for me it seemed to have worked. I am so pleased that you did as you have made the job of solving murders a bit more fun. I don't know what I would do without our banter and the way we bounce theories off one another. It also helps that you are very easy on the eye and very sexy. I don't know whether you have any feelings for me but if you have I would like to take this thing we have to a much higher level. In fact I am really hoping that you are my 'One and done' as I am more in love with you than ever."

Castle had listened to her intently and could only think that all his birthdays and Christmases had come at once. he was so lucky that this gorgeous woman loved him as he certainly knew that he intended that she would be the last woman he would ever have to have first date with, he got up and walked round to the other side of the table to have what he hoped would be his last first kiss, as he pulled Kate into his chest and lower his head so that their lips were perfectly aligned and started to kiss her, after a moment her lips parted and their tongues started to explore each others mouths, eventually they both started feeling the lack of oxygen in their lungs and reluctantly ended the kiss. They sat for the next ten minutes just gazing into one another's eyes and giving each other kisses.

Eventually Castle said "Kate I think we had better make a move to leave, if we don't there is a danger that we will be asked to leave and also banned from ever coming again. I don't know about you but I can't imagine not being able have anymore of Remy's superb burgers and milkshakes,"

Kate said "I agree, let's go to my place for a nightcap or for whatever else we can think of"

Rick immediately said "Let's go."

After leaving a wad of money to cover their meal along with a very generous tip, they rushed out into the night and hailed a cab to take them to Kate's apartment.

Somehow, and it took a lot of willpower on both their parts, they manage to make it to the apartment without committing a public display of indecency.

As soon as they got through the front door however it was a completely different story, if anyone had broken in they would have had no trouble finding the happy couple as they would have only had to follow the trail of discarded clothing to Kate's bedroom

After three rounds of the most incredible sex either of them had experienced, they finally snuggled down to get some much needed sleep Rick put his arms round her and pulled her in so that they were spooned together, she pushed herself as far in as possible to ensure that as much of their skin was in contact as possible

Rick whispered in Kate's ear "You were right 'I had no idea.' Good night my incredible detective, I love you with all my heart and soul."

Kate replied "Good night my ruggedly handsome partner and best friend I love you too"

Her last thought as she dropped off to sleep with a big smile on her lips was ' _MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.'_

The End

 **A/N. Thank you for reading this and I hope at least someone liked it.**

 **The inspiration for this came from the very final scene in The Third Man, I wondered what would have happened if Beckett had confessed when they got to Remy's that she was in love with Castle.**

 **Thanks to Stana and Nathan for resigning and to ABC for renewing for a Season 8 (Here in the UK we have yet to see Season 7 hopefully it is to start in the next 3 weeks)**

 **Thanks to those of you who reviewed this story I feel humblee that people have read this and enjoyed it, I am at present t4ying to think of another story so as 5hey say 'Watch tuis Space' once again thanks to all who have review and followed.n**


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